The Further
The Further is a dark dimension that exists parallel to our world. It is inhabited by the tortured souls of the dead. While it is not Hell, it is hinted that it may lead there, as most of the souls that inhabit it appear malevolent and the Demon seems to rule it. The Residents of the Further Among the souls that dwell in the Further are The Doll Family, Long-haired Fiend, a little boy, The Old Woman and The Crying Woman. The Doll Family are the spirits of a family that died violently, with one of twin daughters killing her family members (her twin sister, her mother and her father) and then herself. They are doomed to relive their last moments. Having been made to relive their deaths over and over again, it is hinted that they have come to enjoy it. The reason they are called The Doll Family is because they have been made to resemble mannequins. The Ghoul, or the Long-haired Fiend, is the spirit of a violent man. Judging from his appearance and mannerisms, it is possible that he may have been a thug and a murderer when he was alive. In the film, he sexually assaults Renai two times on seperate occasions. The Little Boy is actually not a little boy at all, being the spirit of a an old man who apparently suffered from dwarfism. While he is not a child, he is very mischievous, playing tricks on Renai (changing the song she was playing to Tip Toe Through The Tulips and also hiding in Dalton's closet and then jumping out at her in order to scare her). He is later seen chuckling and running through the hallway in the Further by Josh. The Old Woman is the spirit of an old woman who had been trying to steal Josh's body since he was a boy. She had befriended his astral body in the hopes of luring him out into the Further and taking possession of his body. In every picture that was taken of Josh as a child, she seemed to get closer and closer. For this reason, Josh has a fear of getting his picture taken. The Crying Woman is seen when josh first enters the Further. It is not explained why she is crying but it can be assumed that she died under tragic circumstances. Out of all the spirits encountered in the Further, she seems to be the least malevolent. The Further seems to be under the control of the Demon. The Demon is a tall creature with pointed ears, two horns on its head, snake-like eyes, a forked tongue, spider-like fingers and hooves for feet. Its skin is literally black with the exception of the distinct red markings on its face. While the Old Woman is interested in obtaining Josh's body, the Demon seems more interested in Dalton. Though the Demon never speaks in the film, it is capable of speaking, as Lorraine mentions that in a dream she had she spoke to it and it responded to her in words. When asked who it was, it responded that it was a visitor. When asked what it wants, it responded that it wanted Dalton. Lorraine claimed she could still hear its voice, implying that the Demon has a chilling voice. The Demon keeps Dalton close by in his home in the Further, which seems to be a theatre-like chamber. The Demon has marionettes which it likes to play with. It also seems to enjoy sharpening its nails. The Demon hurts Dalton whenever he makes noise. From this description, it can be gathered that the Demon is a bit of a ham, having an interest in threatrics. It can also be gathered that the Demon is sadistic and likes to hurt others. The Demon can usually be found listening to the song Tip Toe Through The Tulips on a phonograph.